Cubs vs. Rockies: Quintana vs. Lambert (Game 61)

The Cubs are back in first and rely on Quintana to push them toward the sweep this afternoon. José pitched only 4 innings his last start due to rain. He was getting somewhat mixed results up to that point, allowing 2 earned runs but also striking out six. A few current Rockies have enjoyed their few opportunities against him. Arenado has a pair of homeruns in 9 at bats. Mark Reynolds has four extra base hits but also six strikeouts in 17 at bats. Story is 3-5 with a double and a triple.

The Cubs miss Jon Gray, day-to-day with a finger injury, and instead get Rockies' top pitching prospect Peter Lambert. Lambert made steady progress through the minors by filling up the strikezone and getting groundballs at a good rate. His ERA's haven't been impressive, but that's a game that may play better with defenders like Arenado and Story behind him. In just over 100 innings at AAA this year and last he's failed to get his ERA below 5. Based on prospect write-ups, it sounds like his stuff is middling. His fastball sits in the low 90s. Command of his changeup makes it his next best pitch. There's enough deception in his delivery that we might see some hitters struggle in the first approach.

Following today's finale, the Cubs will welcome the redbirds into Wrigely with a little payback in mind.

Recent comments

A's have decided to not be horrible and to pay their minor leaguers through the end of the season (august)

"“I changed my mind after spending a lot of time talking to our team,” A's owner John Fisher told the Chronicle. “I concluded I’d made a mistake. I’ve listened to our fans and others, and there is no question that this is the right thing to do. We clearly got this decision wrong. These players represent our future and we will immediately begin paying our minor-league players. I take responsibility and I’m making it right.""

I'm in. What more do we need, really. A beer. A game or two. The 162 game season can wait until next year (I hope). Have fun with a micro-mini season. Let the powers fight over the labor agreements. They can finish by next spring, right?

IN BRIEF (Tribune, from their mini-sports section): In a letter, MLB rejects players’ plan for 114 gamesNews servicesMajor League Baseball rejected the players’ proposal for a 114-game schedule in the pandemic-delayed season with no additional salary cuts, telling the union that teams have no reason to think 82 games is possible and now will discuss even fewer.Players made their proposal Sunday, five days after management’s initial economic plan.

I agree. Laura is the real deal. I think she was the major influence that showed Tom R. and Crane Kenney how to show a "human side" and deal realistically and in a non-threatening way, with the local Chicago politicians. Kenney was clearly clueless in his initial attempts regarding the neighborhood, the Rooftop owners, and the Wrigley Field rebuild.